Power
by Luthor Lady
Summary: Chlex. Post Fracture: After finding out about Chloe's ability, she becomes his new obssession.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Power  
**Author:** MelBee1985  
**Pairing:** Chlex  
**Rating:** R (to be safe)  
**Spoilers:** Set 1 week after Fracture. No spoilers beyond that.  
**Summary: **After finding out about Chloe's ability, she becomes his new obssession.  
**Disclaimer:** You all know... Not mine, not yours... only theirs!  
**A/N:** First real FF by myself... it's frightening. Ok, so might not be perfect, but been working on it ALOT and I'm tired of proof reading... so hope it's enjoyable

Special thanks to Cy and to Skauble who helped me ALOT (even if Cy scares me a little ) Thanks to the peeps in the chatroom over Naughty-Seduction and my lovely Jade!

PS: Reviews, reviews, reviews!

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**Chapter 1**

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_"I can save him."_

Lionel looked back at Chloe, slightly frowning. "How?"

"Just trust me, Mr. Luthor. I can."

Chloe's hand reached nervously towards Lex's chest. As her fingers touched his flesh, a glowing light seemed to pass through Chloe's body to Lex's. After few seconds, her body collapsed on the floor, seemingly inanimated. And as she was collapsing, the bullet that Lex had received between his eyes fell on the floor, as if time was rewinding.

In a heartbeat, Lex Luthor had gone from dead to alive. 

Taking a sip of the drink he had in his hand, Lex pressed play once more. Sitting at his desk, his eyes never left the screen. He had spent the last hour watching this very short video, which he had been able to retrieve from his father's computer, over and over.

The most astonishing fact was seeing with his very own eyes the bullet being removed from his skull. For once, he had actual proofs of a mysterious event that had happen to him. Lex was glad his father hadn't been careful enough to dispose of some clips of that event. It allowed him to have concrete leverage he could use against him, but also against Chloe, Clark and the doctor present on the scene. And when the time would come, he would use those with precious care.

Placing the drink on the desk, Lex stared at the screen for a moment and sighed. It had been one week since he'd waken up in the hospital, feeling perfectly fine. Too fine. And it was what ticked him off. He thought about what his father had told him at the hospital, how he had lied to him. He let out a sarcastic laugh at the thought. Lex knew better than trusting his father.

_I can save him._

More interesting than his own father though, was Chloe Sullivan. It wasn't just the fact that she had shown the potential he and his scientists had seen in her, but it was also the very ability she seemed to possess. He hypothesized she was a healer and of all the abilities he had studied, this one had such power. The power to resurrect someone from the dead. It was unclear what were the extension of her ability, but it was a detail he intended on finding out.

Why. Why had she saved him? He couldn't figure out why she hadn't concentrated her efforts on only bringing back Clark to life. From his point of view, Chloe had no logical to have sacrificed herself for him, none that he could think of. Yet, she had saved both; the person she loved and the one she loathed.

There had been a time when he wouldn't have expected anything less from her. They never had been close, but once upon a time, they were able to trust or at least respect each other. He had always admired her courage and tenacity, especially when she had decided to help Lex to bring Lionel Luthor down, despite being warned by him about the possible dangers. And for that, he would have done anything to save her, even if it had cost his own life.

Lex shook his head slightly. This was in the past; nothing he still cared about. It'd been buried so deep in his mind that the emotional content attached to the thoughts had vanished a long time ago.

Sighing, Lex stood up and poured himself a glass of cognac then walked back to his desk. He took a sip of his drink and opened a file on his computer, selecting another video. This one wasn't much about what was seen, but mostly what was told.

_Clark regained consciousness and leaved the platform he was on, walking towards Lionel. "I know where they are." He looked down and saw an unconscious Chloe. "Chloe. What happened?"_

Lionel was holding Chloe on the floor, looking rather worried. "We need a doctor."

Clark's expression slightly changed as he shook his head. "No, no, no. No doctors. Just get her to her apartment."

"Clark, she's barely alive."

"Trust me, doctors can do nothing for her. Just get her home."

Interesting. So according to this, it wasn't the first time Chloe had used her ability. Lex made a mental note to find out how often this had occurred. He'd always kept an eye on her since he'd discover she was infected with meteor rocks, but had apparently failed to notice the new developments.

"Mr Luthor?"

Lex was suddenly taken back to reality. Without saying a word, his head lifted slightly from the screen and looked at the man at the doors.

Unsure if it was an invitation or not to come in the study, the man made only few steps, then stopped. "I'm sorry to bother you at this late hour, but I wanted to give you a report about project Phoenix."

"Close the doors."

The man did as requested and walked over Lex's desk. Lex looked at him and leaned forward slightly, waiting for his report. "So, are you bringing me some good news or can I expect to find a new person responsible for the project, Dr Wilson?"

"Well, I have a good new, indeed." The doctor opened his leather case and gave Lex a file. "We located the building where the experiments took place. It's about 40 minutes outside Smallville."

"I want a team to go investigate right now." Lex laid back on his chair, looking slightly more relaxed, yet still looking serious. "I'm sure my father took precautions and I'm not expecting much from this building. But, just in case, I want that place searched inch by inch." He looked directly in Dr Wilson's eyes. "Is that understood?"

"Good. So what is the bad news now?"

The doctor made a step back and lowered his head. "Well, huh… We haven't been able to retrieve anything else from your father's computer. There is nothing related to previous experiments and we didn't find anything related to Clark Kent, except what is on the two videos we found." The man paused, looking a little nervous. "We still don't know exactly what were the experiments about."

"I do", Lex said, sound seemingly annoyed. Waving his hand in the air, he added "It will be enough for tonight. Send a team as soon as possible and keep me posted."

"Yes, sir." The doctor turned around and walked towards the doors.

Lex watched the doctor leaving and closing the doors once more. His gaze turned to the computer screen. He had only been able to retrieve two videos from his father's personal files, but from the little he'd seen, he did have an idea of what had happen. As the video was replaying itself, he stood up and walked towards the window, staring at the moon. Hearing Clark's voice in the background, Lex turned around and looked at the doors of his study.

He hadn't been surprised to see Clark storm in his study. After all, it was a really annoying habit he'd taken through the years. Accusing him of not telling him about Kara had also been totally expected and Lex had deflected the accusation using Lana's hate of him to be the reason he hadn't been able to reach Clark. Of course, they both knew it was a lie, but at this point, he didn't care much about what the great Clark Kent thought of him. He'd given up on their friendship a long time ago and that was probably the only true thing he'd tell Clark that evening. But while Lex had remained cold and unaffected, Clark had said one thing that had threw him off balance mentally: _There's still good inside of you. Let that voice lead you back to it_. It had been unexpected and Lex hadn't understand why he had felt the sudden urge to tell him that, mostly after everything that had happen in the last year and a half. Why now?

And it was only after watching the videos that Lex made the connection. _I know where they are_. That had been the key sentence. That's when he knew that what his father had created a machine that allowed someone to read into someone else's mind. This explained how Clark had been able to find Kara and Lois. This was why he'd told Lex he _knew_ there was still good in him, looking at him as if he'd seen a ghost of the past. Something that used to be in Lex.

The thought that Clark had invaded his mind, making his way into his intimate thoughts, irritated Lex, as he drank the rest of his scotch in one shot and putting the glass hard on the desk. If there was one person that surely didn't deserve to know what was in his mind, it was Clark. And he wasn't going to let him get away with it. Lex intended on taking that new chance in life that Chloe had offered him to finish what he had started years ago. He intended to get to the bottom of the mystery that was Clark Kent. And by all means, he would.

After sitting back at his desk, slowly regaining his composure, Lex stopped the video that was actually playing and dialed a number on his phone.

"Anything new on the project?", he asked and looked somewhat annoyed by the answer given on the other side of the line. "Keep looking. I know that my father is keeping all the files on that project somewhere." His tone was cold and directive. "And find me that doctor, before my father makes sure he disappears for good."

Lex then hung up and dialed another number. He preferred to divide tasks and give them to different people, to avoid having projects being completely stolen or being stabbed in the back by someone. The less they knew, the better for him.

"Mr Whitman, it's Lex Luthor. Yes. I want you to send me the complete file on Chloe Sullivan and I want it on my desk by tomorrow morning."

As he spoke, Lex pressed play once more on the first video, still looking in fascination at Chloe's hand on his chest as she traded her life for his.

******

**Daily Planet, Metropolis**  
_The next day_

Chloe was waiting on the other side of the line of the phone, starting to get impatient. Something was wrong with her computer and she couldn't even fix it herself . "Well, who should I blame for my server problems? I've been locked out of my files." She sighed. "Yes… I'm waiting… again…"

As she was waiting, Jimmy walked by her desk, a smile on his face. "Hey… Open my e-mail yet?"

"Hey", Chloe said with an annoyed tone.

It had been few weeks that they had split and this time she knew it was for good. Chloe had been a little anxious about how they would deal at work, but It had appeared that it didn't affect much Jimmy. Even less since Kara's return. Chloe placed her hand on the phone and looked over her ex, sighing softly, but still looking a little annoyed. "Sorry, Jimmy, I've been in I.T. Hell all morning. Some network issue has got me surfing the slow lane."

Before Jimmy could say anything back at her, she lifted her index at him, to stop him, as someone was finally on the other side of the line. "Yes? You found the pro…. What? Since when…" Chloe's face expression changed. "WHAT?"

Furious, Chloe hung up and left her desk, leaving a clueless Jimmy all by himself. She took the stairs and made her way to Lex's office, entering it without notice.  
**  
******

Lex was looking at his computer when Chloe stormed into his office. He glanced at her. "Chloe. I see some habits die hard. Are you here to welcome me to the Daily Planet or am I once again accused of some machinations of yours?" Lex was looking rather relax, his tone cold and composed as usual.

Chloe was rather annoyed by his attitude. She closed the door and made her way to his desk. Her hands were placed on her hips and she looked outraged. "I've been told by the I.T. Department that you've been monitoring everything that happens on the Daily Planet computers. You have no right to do that without permission!"

Lex chuckled. "Yes, in fact I do." He stood up and slowly made his way around his desk, trailing the tip of his fingers on the surface and walked over Chloe. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Daily Planet belongs to me. At least, that's what the papers say. I may be new to this, but I'm pretty sure that includes everything within these walls…" He leaned forward and added, with what she interpreted being like a victorious smirk on his face, "Including the content of my employee's computers."

There wasn't much Chloe could argue. She knew he was right. And that made her even more upset. All her files were there. Every files she had on the meteor freaks that had been collected over the past years. Her own file. His file. Of course, they were protected, but she knew it wasn't going to stop Lex and his highly trained technicians. She knew he would soon or later find a way to hack into her files. And she couldn't let that happen.

At his statement, Chloe crossed her arms and frowned in suspicions. "Everyone's or just mine, Lex?"

Lex raised one brow, slightly amused by her comment. "Why would I be specifically interested in the computer's content of a second hand journalist?"

"You tell me… Apparently, I'm the only one having problem with accessing my files." Chloe couldn't stand being so close to Lex. She could feel the anger burning inside her. He was lying and she knew it. Chloe took a step back and sighed, trying to calm down, but there was still annoyance in her tone. "Why don't you just tell me what the hell you're looking for…"

Lex let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Because you would actually answer my questions?"

_Probably not_. Chloe remained silent and sighed. This was getting nowhere. She was loosing time arguing with Lex. The best she could do was trying to find a way to access Lex's computer and hack into his system to delete her files. He was underestimating her if he thought she couldn't do it.

"That's what I thought. In this case, I guess we've reach a dead end." Lex waved his hand in the air, dismissing Chloe, as he walked back behind his desk. "I'll make sure your computer works properly in the next hour."

That smirk of his. She just hated it. She hated his confidence, the way he was so relaxed, knowing what power he had on her. Chloe didn't know how long she'd be able to work under his regiment. Would he ever leave her alone? She doubted it. She had to ask Clark to restraint his visit to the Daily Planet. It was getting dangerous for him. Of course, now she knew it wasn't safe anymore to send emails and she feared the cameras freshly installed in the basement had audio, so even calls would be risky. If Chloe was going to keep helping Clark, things would have to change.

"And I'll make sure yours doesn't", Chloe mumbled under her breath, as she made her way to the door.

"Are you threatening me, Miss Sullivan?"

Chloe stopped her motion towards the door. She cursed at herself for thinking out loud. His tone was dry, challenging. Miss Sullivan. He hadn't called her by her first name and she feared she might had jeopardized her whole career for one thought. Because she knew that with a blink of his eyes, he could have her on blacklist for any journal.

Finally, she turned around and looked at Lex. "I…"

Before Chloe could say anything, Lex stood up and put his palms on his desk, his eyes piercing Chloe's. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I don't think someone with such secrets as yours would be wise to do that."

Chloe's eyes didn't blink as she took a deep breath, remaining calm. "I don't know what you're talking about…"

A sardonic smile appeared at the corner of Lex's lips. raised his back and once again walked over Chloe. "Oh, but you do."

Chloe tensed up a little more. Lex took the opportunity to make a step closer.

Her eyes still met his, but she was starting to feel like suffocating. His words, his closure… it was just too much to handle. She needed to breathe, to get away. "I don't have to listen to this. I have work to do." Chloe finally broke the eye contact and turned to leave.

Lex grabbed her arm tightly. "No. You will listen." When her eyes met his again, he loosened his grip, but didn't let go. His tone remained dry as he spoke. "I'm sure your boss will understand."

Chloe moved her arm to get out of his grip. "What do you want from me?" Chloe let out, slightly breathing heavily.

"You are the secret keeper of everyone around you. Your mind contains valuable information, I have no doubt." Lex made a step forward. "But as much as those could interest me, I'm interested in one of your own for the moment."

"I think you have too much imagination. Unlike you, I don't have dark secrets buried in my mind." Chloe took a step back and he made two forwards. She took another step back and soon was backed up against the door. "Of course you do…"

Lex placed his left hand on the door, near Chloe's neck. "See, I bet that when I'll look in your crypted files, I will find some interesting information. Now, I am pretty sure that you were wise enough to avoid having anything related to Clark Kent. But as to what comes to you, you weren't as careful. Am I right?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "You know, this obsession about Clark is getting rather redundant."

"Oh, but this isn't about Clark. It's about you." He leaned his face closer to hers. "And me." Lex retracted his hand, but remained inches from her.

"Tell me, Chloe. How did it make you feel to drain out your own life to resurrect me from the dead?"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Update!!! I knew it looked like it had been abandonned, but in reality, the chapter had been written for a while. I just had been so busy and had few months of lack of inspiration where SV was concerned. But here is to hope!

Oh and thanks to lexie to have beta the chapter

**Chapter 2a**

_He knew_. Chloe hadn't expected him to find out. Sure, she'd always known Lex was a clever man, more than anyone else she knew, but this… It was more than she'd expected and hoped. Chloe had to admit she had clearly underestimated him. But she couldn't help wondering how. How in the world had he found out? So many questions were running through her mind that it became hard to hide the shock on her face.

She needed to breathe. She needed to get away from him. Swallowing her fear, Chloe regained her composure and stared at Lex. "I think you're seeing things again." She brushed past him and took a deep breath silently as her face was turned away from him. She wished she could pinch herself and realize this was all a dream. Or more like a nightmare.

Trying to regain some momentum as best as she could, Chloe faced him again. "Last time you had a psychotic episode, you thought everyone was trying to kill you, and Lana ended up in the hospital." She let out a sarcastic chuckle. "You can't help but need to find something to obsess over. And as far as I know, it rarely leads to anything."

Lex seemed a little annoy, but didn't say anything. Chloe continued. Maybe she could find something to make him tick. She needed something just good enough to let her leave his office. "Let's see… Clark, the caves, sacred stones, Lana, and lately it´s been… Kara, right?" She sighed. "So now, you're saying I'm your savior?"

Lex didn't seem to be thrown off balance or upset. In fact, he looked calm. Too calm for her taste. "I have to admit, I admire the attempt at turning this conversation around, but I have proof of what I'm saying." Smirking at her, he added, "In fact," before turning around and walking towards his desk, "I have a copy of it right here. Maybe we should have a little private screening." He opened a drawer with a key and retrieved a flash drive from it. He glanced at her, his smirk never fading away.

Chloe's mind was racing. _He is bluffing. He has to be bluffing_; she tried to convince herself. She had to know what he knew. She had to make sure he didn't know too much.

While she was standing still in the middle of the room, Lex sat down on his chair and inserted the flash drive in his laptop. "Don't be shy , Chloe. Come sit. I think this is going to interest you."

After a moment of hesitation, she made her way to one of the chairs in front of her. There was definitively concern on her face at that moment, but she managed not to let fear take over. Chloe wasn't going to let Lex win on all fronts. He surely didn't deserve that pleasure.

When Chloe was seated, Lex moved his laptop, allowing her to watch, then pressed play. "Enjoy", he added, just to put her even more on edge. She frowned at him then her gaze moved to the screen.

_"I can save him."_

Her own words echoed in her head as she watched herself on screen saving Lex's life. At first glance, the video seemed impossible to deny, even for her. It was authentic. At the sight of her body collapsing on the floor, Chloe couldn't help but shudder. It was the first time she'd witnessed her own death on screen and it certainly didn't comfort her. It was frightening to see her own self lifeless, but also that Lex now possessed this knowledge about her, that he knew what she could do.

"Do you want me to replay it for you?"

Lex's voice dragged Chloe out of her thoughts. She looked back at him, still slightly in shock while he looked amused. For once, she didn't know what to say.

"Not everyday you get to see yourself dying, right?" He closed the laptop. "Well, at least, I'm speaking for myself when I say that it's not every day I get to see myself coming back from the dead." Lex paused for a brief moment then spoke again. "Oh, speaking of which." He leaned forward. "I almost forgot to thank you... for saving my life."

Chloe frowned, breathing a little faster than usual. She remained silent, not sure if she'd be able to control the tone of her voice and the words that would be coming out of her mouth. She could still play the denial card, but they would both know it would be a lie. They had been dancing around each other, throwing lies on top of lies at each other in the past three years, but this one she couldn't fake.

"What do you want?" Chloe let out finally, her eyes never looking away from his.

Lex chuckled at her question and leaned back on his chair, getting himself more comfortable. "You saved my life, Chloe. I only want to repay the favor."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, "I don't need to be saved."

"Not right now. Maybe not tomorrow, but one day you will," he paused. "Some people might hear about your… ability," he added, putting emphasis on the last word before continuing. "And they could take advantage of you."

Starting to feel a little threatened, Chloe stood up and took a step back. She didn't know what she would do about the video yet, but right now she wasn't sure there was something rational to do. She needed time to ponder, time to plan something. "I can take care of myself, thank you. I'm not letting you experiment on me, if that´s what you had in mind. Ever."

"I think we can both agree that it's already too late for that."

She had already turned her back to him when he dropped the bomb. Immediately, Chloe froze in place. Of course, she didn't recall the events, but she remembered the chip under her skin perfectly well. The feeling that something had happened to her. And it was the very same day she'd learned what she was. What she'd become.

Taking this moment of silence as an opportunity, Lex stood up as well and made his way around his desk. "But I can prevent that from happening again." As he spoke, he put his hands in his pockets and started pacing the room. "See, if I've been able to find out about your little secret, I think others might be able to do the same. But they might not be as thoughtful as I was and might not make you forget all the pain some experiments can cause."

He looked back at Chloe. "That would be a shame…"

"What the hell do you want, Lex?" She asked once more, this time sounding more annoyed at his threats. "Don't give me again that whole protection crap. I know there's something else. There is always something more with a Luthor."

"Did I mention I could also offer your mother some protection?"

Once again Chloe felt as if he´d dropped a bomb on her. "You leave her out of this! My mother is safe where she is. Don't you dare even think of getting near her again!" He could play with her mind, but Chloe wasn't going to let him do the same with her mother. He'd done that just quite enough.

"Really? Is she safe? You think Queen Industries really care about her safety?" Lex let out a chuckle. "Chloe, you can be so naïve. There are people corrupted everywhere. Even in your good friend's company." Lex leaned against the desk, looking amusingly shocked, with a hint of arrogance. "I know, if we can't trust our own people, who can we trust?"

Chloe looked at him, a slight hint of resignation in her eyes. This wasn't only about her anymore. It was about her mother. And who knew if it involved Clark as well? Maybe it was the ultimate weapon.

"Lex, … please…" she let out, starting to feel a little powerless.

"Oh, Chloe, it's not like that." He walked over her. "You don't need to beg. I told you, I want nothing but your safety. And you won't have to worry about your mother." He paused and sighed softly, as Chloe didn't seem convinced. "You're right, I do want something else. But, as I told you before, it's for your safety. I just want to make sure that you are in no way dangerous to yourself or anyone. For that, I may need to run some tests…"

At the mention of tests, Chloe took a step back, frowning. "I'm not doing any tests and I'm certainly not going back to any of your labs…"

"You think I'd let you come back to one of my laboratories? You would probably find a way to blow it up or call one of your meteor freak friends to do the job."

"Why do you want to run tests? Didn't you have enough fun last time?"

"I want to know what the consequences of your ability are. That there isn't any permanent damage to you... or to me. Every power comes with a price. Correct me if I'm wrong but dying to save people does seem like a big price to pay, doesn't it, Chloe?"

Chloe remained silent, her mind racing, trying to find a rational answer. Trying to find a way to fix all of this. She could steal the video, but she figured he had several copies. He was controlling her at work and now he wanted control over her life. Lex had hit the nail on the head in all of this though, aside from the threats made. Chloe had been afraid of this power since she'd discovered she had it and had no idea if she'd survive the next attempt or if there would be complications. Was she cheating death with all of this?

Maybe, deep down, she thought Lex was her only way to answer all her questions, as twisted as this idea was. But how far could she go with his idea in order to protect everyone she loved?

After a long internal debate, Chloe spoke again. "If I do this, it will be on my terms."

Lex gave her a small satisfied smile. "I'm sure we can work something out…"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Part 2 of chapter 2, whohoo! Ok so still spoiling Hero. It's somewhat canon, but I reserve the right to change that. This explains mainly why Pete side-story doesn't exist in here (I'm sorry, was it supposed to be main storyline in that episode? Hmm…).

Also, a BIG thank to Cypanache for the contract part. Rules to have a lawyer around And BIG thank to kitten to help me phase few things so this would actually look like it has been written in english.

Feedback?** Yes please!**

*****

**Chapter 2b**

_How in the world did I manage to end up here?_

Chloe parked her car in the mansion's driveway, a gesture she'd done quite a few times already, rarely for friendly visits. This time was no exception, except for once she wasn't barging in unannounced. No, this time, she had been invited by Lex to finish the conversation they had started earlier that day in his office.

As she stepped in the Mansion, Chloe continued to memorize all the things she wanted to get in exchange of whatever he was going to propose. She was mentally prepared to face Lex for the next round. There wasn't going to be a single bit of fine prints that she would miss, no interpretations that would be left out. In the end, if she were to give her soul to the devil, she would get as much compensations as possible.

As Chloe approached the study, she was still deep in her thoughts. _I'm not going to let him overpower me. Must make sure everyone around me is protected. He…_

"Chloe?"

A familiar voice dragged her out of her thoughts. She slightly froze on place, inches from the study doors, as she turned around to look at the girl who had just spoken to her.

"Kara. Hey." Chloe shook her head a little, looking confused. "I'm sorry, but… what are you doing here?"

Kara was wearing a pair of dark grey jogging pants and a white t-shirt, looking rather relaxed.. She seemed calm, though a little surprised to find Chloe there. "I live here now."

This wasn't supposed to happen. It couldn't happen. If only Kara would believe Clark, Lana and her when saying that Lex couldn't be trusted. Chloe couldn't entirely blame her though. She knew Luthors could be very convincing and the fact that Clark had kept everything secret regarding her own life, it wasn't entirely surprising that Kara had fell in Lex's trap. She'd done the same in her younger years with elder Luthor after all. If only Kara would regain memory soon.

"When did it happen? Clark never told me about this..." Chloe said, still confused.

"He doesn't know yet. I left him a note at the house."

Chloe made a step closer to Kara, looking serious and starring at her. "Whatever Lex promised you, there is a catch." She took a deep breath. "You can't trust him."

Kara didn't seem much affected by Chloe's words. It even looked as if it had irritated her a little. As she spoke, Kara crossed her arms. "Look, I don't mean to offend you Chloe, but right now I'm having a hard time trusting anyone who's close to Clark. I'm tired of the secrets. No one will tell me anything. Except Lex. Right now, he's the only one I can trust."

"Kara, you have to believe me..."

"Chloe. There you are."

The voice of Lex gave her the shivers. She wondered how long he'd been standing behind her and how much of it he'd heard. Chloe turned to him. "Lex. Yes, I just arrived…"

Lex looked rather relaxed. His lips twitched to form a small smile as he looked over Kara. "I see you've met my new guest."

Chloe frowned at Lex. "Yes, I did. Quite a surprise, I have to say." Oh, he would hear her in a moment.

"I was about to go to bed actually, Lex." Kara said with a soft smile. Around him, she looked like someone who'd been hypnotized and seemed to only have eyes for him.

"Well goodnight Kara. I'm hoping the room is at your taste. If you'll excuse me, Chloe and I have some business to attend." Lex told in yet a charming way that made Kara giggle slightly.

It took everything for Chloe not to roll her eyes by the scene.

"The room is perfect Lex." She turned to Chloe. "Goodnight to both of you then." On this, Kara turned around and walked away, making her way to her new room.

Chloe turned to look at Lex, still frowning, but remained silent, not knowing if Kara could still hear them.

Lex smirked at Chloe and waved his hands in the study's direction, pointing at it. "Shall we?"

Still silent, she made her way inside the study and towards his desk. As soon as he closed the door though, Chloe turned around and snapped at him. "What's going on here? I thought I made myself clear about leaving my friends alone!"

Walking past Chloe, Lex smirked slightly. "Friends you say? It's funny because Kara's been talking about few people, as her friends, but I don't recall your name being on the list. In fact, I don't think she's mentioned you at all."

Chloe cut him right away. "She's lost her memory and since you found her in Detroit, it's like you've brainwashed her so she would turn her back to people who _really_ cares for her."

Lex was still somewhat smirking, completely ignoring her comment. "Right, when you think about it, she mentioned you once, when she talked about Jimmy's ex girlfriend. I would think that it's you, right?"

_Already playing dirty, Lex?_ Chloe swallowed her anger as best as she could and hid the fact he'd hurt her a little. Lex had pushed one of her buttons. No one threw this humiliation back in her face. But before she snapped back with something similar about his latest ex-wife, Chloe took a deep breath and spoke in a dry, calm tone. "I'm serious Lex. I know the contract hasn't been signed yet, but she is part of the deal. You leave her alone, as the rest of my friends and family."

"Kara is a big girl. Not that it is your business, but I didn't talk her into doing this." Lex sat behind his desk, still looking rather calm. "In fact, she came to me and asked me to move in because she doesn't trust Clark and Lana. I'm only giving shelter to someone in need. Would you have rather preferred she fled the city?"

Chloe sighed silently, annoyed. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. It was still better for her to be here, she figured, than if she'd left the city. At least, she could keep an eye on her. Still, Chloe was going to make sure that Kara wouldn't stay at the Mansion for too long. Lex had to have an agenda when it came to her and, without her memories, Kara was rather vulnerable. "This is non negotiable."

Lex looked slightly annoyed, but agreed. "Fine. Then if you agree to the contract, she'll be gone by Monday. I suggest you work hard on finding an alternative or on explaining to her why I had to kick her out of the Mansion." He smirked as he spoke. "But you're clever, Chloe. I'm sure you'll find something."

"Don't worry, I will." Frowning at him slightly, Chloe walked towards his desk. "I believe I was here for something else as well. Why don't we just get started?" She asked as she sat on the chair in front of Lex.

Lex's eyes finally gazed away from Chloe and looked at a file in front of him. Soon, he opened the file and gave a page to Chloe, putting it in front of her. "Here are the terms. This is what it comes down to, after our little chat earlier in my office."

Chloe took the papers in her hands and started reading carefully. Some terms of the contract caught her attention, more than others.

_…The term of the contract is one year from the date of execution…_

_…Subject shall provide such biological samples identified as necessary for the furtherance of company's research, on a regular basis at intervals not to exceed those allowable by medical practice for…_

Chloe frowned at Lex. "So this is how you're reffering to me in the contract? As a subject?"

"It's only a term for the contract, Chloe. Don't see things where there is not. I thought this particular flaw was reserved to me."

Chloe pursed her lips and just didn't comment. She knew just all too well how much he enjoyed verbal judo with her. He liked to find a way to get to her. she wasn't going to fall for it this time. Chloe couldn't get distracted. Not now.

Her eyes returned to the contract.

_...Subject acknowledges she may be exposed to information regarding LuthorCorp and its operations which are private and protected as trade secret. Subject agrees any such information is the property of LuthorCorp and shall remain confidential…_

_…Parties agree this contract and all its terms shall remain confidential... _

Chloe let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Afraid I may disclose your little secrets, Lex?"

"Every company has their unique projects. I'm just protecting my assets."

"Of course you are. We wouldn't want anyone to find out about your unique projects. Some people might think they are unethical, or worst… illegal." Chloe let out with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She knew all too well what he was capable of and wouldn't be surprised to find out if he still had a 33.1 somewhere. Since his cloning project, she wasn't entirely sure what he was up to, but somehow it involved Kara and perhaps Clark in the long run. If she was going to work for him, she wasn't going to stay on the sideline. Not if any of his projects involved her friends.

_…Subject shall take no action which may pose a threat to the welfare, pecuniary, punitive, or otherwise, of Lex Luthor or LuthorCorp... _

Well, that didn't prove to be as easy as she might have thought. Chloe continued to read before saying anything. It was what she was going to get in return that would really make her decide once and for all if she was going to sign or not.

_…LuthorCorp and its fiduciaries or representatives shall take no actions which will directly affect the health, welfare or pecuniary interests of the Subject's family…_

"Wait. Here it says you are going to stay away from my family. You didn't mention my friends. I thought we had an agreement."

Lex sighed at her comment. "Give me the contract." Chloe gave him the piece of paper and soon he wrote next to the term she had just complained about. He put his initials besides, proving he'd approved the change and raised his hand back towards Chloe with the contract in it. However, when she reached for it, he didn't let go of his grip yet. "How do I not know if you're going to use that excuse to protect anyone you feel deserves to be saved?"

"Same reason I don't if you're really going to stand by this contract and stop obsessing on the Kent family. I guess this is going to require efforts to trust each other", Chloe said staring at him all the more seriously. That was going to prove to be a challenge and she didn't know if she was really going to be able to back away from his conspiracies.

Lex remained silent for few seconds, staring at Chloe, his eyes darting over her, almost as if he was trying to find a flaw to exploit, anything he could use against her. Finally, he released his grip on the paper and leaned back on his chair, waiting for her to finish reading the contract.

Chloe's attention went back on the piece of paper he'd just given her. Among other things, the rest of the contract mentioned money compensation and guaranteed her a spot at the Daily Planet. That surely didn't convince her. Actually, it made Chloe felt like she didn't earn her place at the Daily Planet. She had questioned Lois's behavior when she'd learn about her relationship with Gabriel, mixing personal and business matters, but now Chloe felt like she was exactly doing the same. Except, instead of sex, she was selling herself to her worst enemy. Well, that sure wasn't going to be what Chloe would be most proud of in her life.

After reading everything, every tiny character up to the last word, Chloe looked a little confused. "Is that all?" She hadn't seen the part reserved for the signatures, but mainly, she didn't consider this being enough for what she was going to give. "You think I'm going to give you one year of my life in exchange of money and work?"

Lex held another paper in his hand. "I figured that your friends and family's protection might not be enough with everything else that's been discussed in the contract, so I figured something else that might be just enough for you."

He gave her the paper. Chloe looked at it and started reading, a little confused at first by what he had just told her, but soon her eyes narrowed as she read the last few lines. Her eyes remained on the paper for a while, as she was trying to find a way to properly react. "Can you… really do that?", Chloe finally said, finally looking back at Lex, her voice a little shaky.

"It is highly possible. What we used last time didn't have lasting effect, but I think we might be able to find a permanent cure, with your help."

Permanent cure. Chloe couldn't believe it was even a possibility. "Why do you need my help?"

"There is something in your body that seems to be the key of her stabilization. Last time we only had a small sample of your blood that we could use for it. This time, we'll have a chance to take what's enough for her. "

Chloe breathed in, trying to process what he'd just told her. Her eyes returned to the paper, her hand holding it a bit shaky. After a moment of silence, she spoke again, never looking away from the contract. "I'll do it."

"I'll do it", she repeated as she put the contract on the desk and took a pen in her hand.

"You do know that if and when your mother regains her lucidity, you won't be able to see her anymore."

Chloe hesitated for a second before signing the contract. She then looked back at Lex, taking a deep breath. "I know."


End file.
